Libs rebuild after failed leadership spill

WHAT'S NEXT FOR ...

* TONY ABBOTT - Backbenchers say he has six months to listen more, learn from his mistakes and lift the government's performance. A second unpopular budget could bring an early end to his leadership. He says he is "chastened" by the spill and his door is open.

* MALCOLM TURNBULL - The undeclared pretender to the throne has shown great patience. But that will end if Abbott's mistakes continue. Turnbull's key weakness is that support for him in the Liberal Party is not as strong as the public. Polls suggest he would turn the party's polling around. The party room is split into "cells", variously supportive of Abbott, Bishop, Turnbull, Scott Morrison and "anyone but Turnbull".

* JULIE BISHOP - She has shown great loyalty to Abbott, but could be the bursts-through-the-middle candidate in another spill for those opposed to Turnbull. Has a full foreign policy agenda focused on tackling terrorism and dealing with the imminent executions in Indonesia.

* THE LABOR OPPOSITION - Labor's task remains unchanged. The opposition has bolstered its support by talking up the unfairness of changes to Medicare, universities, pensions and welfare, as well as broken government promises on cuts to schools, hospitals and the ABC. 2015 will be about policy development and improving Bill Shorten's approval rating. A change to Turnbull or Bishop would require a strategic rethink.

* THE BUDGET - The 2015/16 budget will include a generous childcare package, a small business tax cut and other measures which will make it starkly different to the previous. Questions remain on whether a surplus can be delivered over the decade. More like an election budget than a government fixing the deficit.

* MEDICARE - Abbott says changes to Medicare remain on the government's agenda, but depend on a deal being struck with doctors and the Senate.

* SUBMARINES - Abbott has assured backbenchers in manufacturing seats that there will be a "competitive evaluation process" for the multi-billion dollar project and that there will be ongoing Australian jobs. But there is suspicion the government has already settled on a Japanese model, and is going through the motions with French and German firms which have promised a strong Australian element to their work.